Awning



April 21, 1925. 1,534,664

. H. J. SAUNDERS AWNING Filed Oct. 8, 1923 E/GZ 9m WW ATTORNE YaPatented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY J'. SAUNDERS, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

AWNING.

Application filed October 8, 1923. Serial No. 667,302.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. SAUNDERS, citizen of the United States,resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Awnings,of which the following is a specification.

Generally when an awning, either of the roller or rope pull type, islowered, the weight of the frame and fabric is sustained by the front orside walls or curtains and frequently the fabric is torn and damaged,particularly when the awning is lowered hastily and stopped with asudden pull or jerk, the strain at such time falling upon the fabricwith damaging results, especially when the fabric has become weakened bycontinued exposure to the weather.

The object, therefore, of my invention is to provide means for taking upthe weight or load of the awning when it is lowered and preventing thefabric from being torn or damaged, thereby adding greatly to the life ofthe fabric and reducing the cost of repairs or upkeep.

The invention consists generally in the various constructions andcombinations hereinafter specified and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure l is a sectional view of a roller type of awning with myinvention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rope or pull type of the awning;

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the awning arm in its raised position,illustrating the shoulders or steps which support the load of the awningwhen the arm is lowered.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the arm lowered.

In the drawing, 2 represents the wall of a building, and 3 is a rollermounted thereon and a the awning fabric that is wound on the roller bythe usual mechanism provided for this purpose, and which I have notthought necessary to illustrate herein as it forms no part of mypresentinvention. 5 is a stud, one of which is provided at each end ofthe awning and 6 is a base plate for the stud secured to the buildingwall by suitable means such as screws 7. 8 represents an arm, one ofwhich is provided at each end of the awning 9 and is an ofi-set lug atthe inner end of the arm that is piv-' otally connected witha similarlug 10 on the stud 5 by a suitable bolt 11, the lugs and the bolt beingoff-set from the longitudinal axis of the stud and arm, and forms ahinge on which the arm may swing through an arc of ninety degreessubstantially from an upright position, when the awning is closed, to asubstantially horizontal position when it is lowered. The outer ends ofthe arms 8 are connected by a rail 12 to which the lower ends of thefabric 4 is'connected. Below the lug 9 I provide a square shoulder 13opposing a similar shoulder 14 beneath the lug 1i) and formed on theouter end of the stud 5. These shoulders are so positioned that when thearms 8 reach a horizontal position the shoulders will contact and thearms will support the full wei ht of the awning fabric and there will beno pull or drag on the fabric that would tend to tear or damage it.These shoulders will contact under all conditions whether the awning islowered slowly or hastily, and it will be immaterial whether the awningis lowered carefully or not, or by an inexperienced person. There willbe no danger of tearing or damaging the fabric by throwing the weight ofthe awning thereon. I

In Figure 2 I have shown the invention applied to a rope type of awningin which 15 represents the front wall and 16 the end wall or sections,which, in the ordinary rope type of awning are very frequently torn anddamaged by having the weight of the frame and the fabric thrown thereonwhen the awning is hastily lowered. 6f course, it is possible to fastenthe rope so that it will sustain the load. of the awning and the pullwhen the frame islowered, but this is rarely ever done. The rope isloosened and the awning allowed to drop of its own weight as far as thefabric will allow it to fall and while a new awning will stand up underthe strain, one that has been continually exposed to climatic conditionswill soon become torn or damaged and require repairs. v

lVith my device the engagement of the shoulders on the inner ends of thearms with the corresponding shoulders on the studs will positively stopdownward movement of the arms and take up the shock or strain resultingfrom the sudden stopping of the awning so that none of the pull orstrain M id will be transmitted to the fabric itself, and the fabricwill, therefore, never become torn or damaged through hasty or carelesslowering of the awning. The studs 5 will vary in length depending upontheir position on the building wall and-the distance necessary toproject beyond a window frame or cornice or other projections. The armstoo will vary in length according to the size of the awning but theshoulders or stops may be substantially-the samecunder all conditionsand types of awnings.

Invvarions ways the details of the construction herein shown anddescribed may b011110lifi0l and still be within the scope of myinvention.

I claim :as my, invention:

1. An awning having arms and supports foripivotally mounting said armson a buildingawall, saidarins and supports having surfacesfadapted to.abut one against the other when the. awning is lowered and form stopsforxchecking downward movement of said arms to prevent strain upon theawning fabric.

2. An awning having studs provided with means for securing them to abuilding wall in a substantially horizontal position when the awning islowered and arms forming horizontal extensions to said studs when theawning is let down, said studs and arms having off-set lugs formedthereon and bolts passing therethrough for piv Jtally connecting saidarms with said studs, said arms-and studs having shoulders with flatopposing faces formed below said lugs, the shoulders of said armscontacting with those of said studs when said arms are lowered. to asubstantially horizontal position and fo'ining stops to support theawning and prevent pull or strain on the fabric from the weight of theframe and awning when it is lowered.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this3rd day ofOctober1923.

HENRY J. SAUNDERS.

